San Sebastian to Lisbon

[SnazzyMax]

Hello cycling friends!

New to the forum, and relatively new to long-distance cycling!

My girlfriend and I are planning on cycling from San Sebastian (closer to Biarritz actually) to Lisbon starting September 6th, and were wondering what the best route was?

I've been recommended to try and head south to head south to Pamplona, across to Logroño, Burgos, Valladolid, down to Salamanca, and then follow the N360 to Merida where we cut across to Lisbon via E90. Is this a safe route?

We're planning on camping the entire way, and are packing pots/pans and a gas stove as well.

Will 2 weeks give us enough time to complete this journey?

I've attached a map as well!

Thanks in advance for any help!

: )

 

[robjh]

It is hard to tell from the scale of your map, but it looks as if you are planning to ride on main highways which will be motorway-style roads in many places, full of thundering trucks. Even if in places the old roads run alongside, this does not sound like a pleasant ride.
By all means stick to a line similar to that shown, but try to choose smaller provincial roads instead - it shouldn't be hard to knit together a route.

How much do you like hills? I say that because my preference might be to stay further north at first in the hilly zone nearer the coast, and then to enter Portugal further north too - somewhere near Guarda or Miranda do Douro - and ride south through the country, which involves crossing some high zones too. I just find this scenery more inspiring than the endless fields of the Castillian plain, but that is a personal thing.

As for the time/distance thing, your route comes out as around 1000 km / 600+ miles, mine would be a little longer. Can you do 300+ miles in a week, with heavy luggage and in the heat? Most experienced cycle tourists would have little trouble with this, but only you can know what you're capable of. Also, will you be taking the occasional day or half-day off for sightseeing or recovery?

 

[SnazzyMax]

Thanks for your reply Rob!

Definitely agree with you on the motorway front: I've been putting together a more clearly defined route. I've attached it below - thanks again for your help!

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1KOMICUQGECeSZCHhd7z6BisGVTA&usp=sharing

Hilly routes are fine by me - however I will be cycling with my girlfriend who has very little long-distance cycling experience, so I was considering not venturing too far into the hillier parts of Northern Spain (Cantabrian Mountains) - would cycling through León and down to Miranda do Douro be too difficult for a beginner?


We're quite flexible in terms of time - leaving around the 7/8th of September and we have to be back in London a month later (flight back from Lisbon), so we're very happy taking a day off once in a while to rest and visit the local towns.

We were also told the coasts would be relatively busy this time of year, and that we should avoid those areas so as to not run into any heavy traffic.

 

[MarkF]

I've done this, more or less, from Bilbao to Merida, before heading to Malaga. There is an A road, practically deserted, running parallel to the autovias, you can get to Merida making good progress on well surfaced roads that you'd call "empty" in the UK. It's a doddle, I did it with zero training, at 50 years old, and after a week on the piss.........

Your route is good IMO, Salamanca is drop dead gorgeous during the day and really comes alive late at night, it was a highlight for me. After, are some real oddball places and people as the earth gets browner and employment prospects fewer, I loved Extremadura, it's other worldly. Send me a pm if you like and I can give you a good route and camping advice.

 

[Blue Hills]

I loved Extremadura, it's other worldly. .

Thanks for that mark. Had never heard of it. Looked it up. Sounds fascinating.

 

[rich p]

I did something similar in reverse, with my wife, aged 58, and crossed the border at Miranda.The border region is hilly but not madly so. I found the Portugal portion of the trip a wonderful experience of friendly people, cheap food and more interesting terrain than I expected. I rarely touched a main road unless it was parallel to an EU funded white elephant which took all the such light traffic as there was.

My report is here if it's of any use.
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1mr&doc_id=10900&v=6q

 

[Blue Hills]

Great thread. Have been to lisbon (by air) and one or two places from there, but have long wondered about the interior of portugal for cycling.

 

[albal]

You can't ride on the main road from Burgos to Valladolid. Skirt round it like I did. www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/gibjog2013

 

[MarkF]

Thanks for that mark. Had never heard of it. Looked it up. Sounds fascinating.

Best place I've ever cycled.